Non Sequitur
by altversed
Summary: Will's relationship with JJ fell apart. What happens when he goes to live next to her best friend?
1. I'm Not Coming Back

I do not own _Criminal Minds_.

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CHAPTER ONE – I'M NOT COMING BACK

_This wasn't the plan. This wasn't supposed to happen._ JJ was in her living room watching Henry play while waiting for his father to pick him up.

Will and she were no longer living together. They had a big fight some weeks ago and, as far as she knew, Will was living in a hotel since then. Their last year had been unbearable. They would fight for no reason at all. All the time. Then after some days of awkwardness they would try to make it work again, but every single time they failed miserably. The fake hint of happiness in their voices and the masks they were wearing wouldn't save their relationship. And it was a torture. But they always found themselves trying again, for Henry. Soon they realized that their relationship had been dragging for too long and try to save it would be to sign a contract of misery, and that wasn't good neither for them or Henry.

Maybe their relationship had taken so long to end because none of them wanted to believe that the plan of their lives had failed. They did not want to believe that the incomprehension had overcome the love in a large proportion and very easily; in a short period of time the number of bad moments became way higher than the number of good ones. But they had to accept that relationships were like that: sometimes, no matter what you do, it just doesn't work.

So now, with Will gone she felt something that she never thought she would in that situation: relief. For weeks she came home and there was no fighting, for two weeks she came home and felt sad because the relationship with the man she loved didn't work out, because she missed the good moments with him, because her family had fall apart and she was scared because everything sounded really definitive… But no fights.

Suddenly the sound of the door bell dragged her out of her daydreaming.

"Come on, buddy. Go get your things, that's probably dad." She said to her son while nervously walking to answer the door and when she did, she found an equally nervous Will at the other side of the doorframe.

"Hey."

"Hey."

"So, are you still staying at the hotel?" JJ asked trying to sound casual.

"Yeah, I'm trying to find a place, it's not easy though." He said nervously running his hand through his hair.

"Hmm… Emily said there's an apartment available in her building, you should go see it."

"Does she know about us?"

"No, nobody knows." She sighed "I'm going to tell the team eventually though, I see no point in hiding it anymore."

And before an awkward silence could start, Henry appeared with his backpack and a big smile.

"Where are you guys going?" The blonde asked as Will picked his son up.

"We are going to the park!"

"Yeah, buddy, we're going to the park"

JJ said goodbye to Henry and then watched father and son leave. _I guess that's how our lives are going to be now._

* * *

"Will?"

Will was leaving Prentiss' apartment building and making his way to the car when he heard the familiar voice. He turned around to see Emily Prentiss walking towards him and he was already feeling embarrassed for the conversation they were about to have.

"Hi, Em." He said realizing how awkward it was to be friends with his ex-girlfriend best friend, but Emily Prentiss was a really good person and a good company so his was willing to continue with their friendship, that actually started only by extension.

"Hi. I haven't seen you in a while." Emily said and Will smiled at her diplomatic approach.

"I think you already know why. Did JJ tell you?" Will decided to go straight to the point.

"Yes, she did." She told him with a sigh. "How are you?"

Emily and Will had become friends during the last year. Will didn't even know how that happened or why he reached out to her, maybe he did it because Emily had always seemed like someone you can trust. He was always worried about putting her in the middle, but she had always said that it didn't matter and that she could handle. And since it was of Emily's nature to worry about everyone, her 'How are you?' wasn't just a casual one, she asked because she cared.

"I've been better, I guess." He confessed. "How is she? We barely spoke since…"

"I definitely noticed that something was wrong about her. She talked about it with me this morning and she seems…Well, she seems as expected, but I think she's going to be ok." She offered him a sad smile and he saw in her big brown eyes that she's was genuinely sorry about him and her best friend.

"That's good." He tried to smile. "I need to go now, but I think we'll see each other often."

"So you're going to stay with the apartment." Prentiss said waving her hand in the building's direction.

"Yeah, it's perfect."

"See you around then." She said with a bright smile now.

"Bye, Emily."

"Will, you know I'm your friend too, right? Don't worry about putting me in the middle, you can talk to me." Emily said softly and he nodded.

Prentiss made her way to the building and Will entered his car thinking how definitive everything seemed now. He had a new place and new life to live.


	2. I'm sorry and Thank you

A/N: I want to say thank you for those who reviewed, favorited and followed this story, you guys made my day. Every review is appreciated. Oh, and I'm really sorry for not updating faster, darn school.

I do not own_ Criminal Minds._

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CHAPTER TWO – I'M SORRY AND THANK YOU

Prentiss woke up when a repetitive and annoying sound invaded her dreams. _Cell phone. It was too good to be truth._

Hotch had gave them the morning off after their last case. They had a bit of trouble to catch the unsub and they all looked more tired than the usual when everything was over, so the unit chief thought his team could use some extra sleep. But, apparently, some serial killer had a different schedule for them.

"Prentiss." She answered her phone with a monotone voice and waited for the 'I'm sorry, we have a case'.

"Hey, Em. It's me, I'm sorry I woke you." JJ said in the other side of the line.

"No, it's ok. Do we have a case?"

"Oh, no. It's not that."

Prentiss sighed in relief. "Gosh, you sound so awake. Shouldn't you be sleeping too? This is an opportunity we don't often have. "

"You tell Henry that." They both chuckled and JJ continued hesitantly, "Errr, listen… Will's partner called asking for him, he said Will didn't show up to work. He knows we are not together anymore, but Will is not answering his phone and he didn't know who else to call…"

"Oh, that's not like Will." Prentiss answered clearly surprised by the motive of the call.

"No, it's not. So I was thinking that since you two live close to each other…"

"Say no more. I'm going there." The brunette said getting off the bed.

* * *

Prentiss made herself decent and headed to Will's apartment- with her gun just in case. Before she went to the last case, Prentiss had helped Will to move in. He was grateful for the help and trying to be a good company, but he was obviously very sad, so she tried not to mention the recent events, although the move in itself was already a big reference.

Prentiss reached his door and knocked a few times but not a sound was made inside. She noticed that the door was open and slowly entered the apartment… to find a coffee table full of empty bottles and Will passed out in his couch.

"What the…" She approached and cringed at the smell of alcohol. "Will! Will!"

He opened his eyes slightly and turned to the other side not really aware of who was trying to wake him up. "Go away!"

"Will, people are worried about you! Isn't there a place you should be right now?" _Oh, it's Emily._

"Seriously, Emily, go. I can take care of myself. How did you get in here? How did you know –"

"The door was opened. And JJ called… Your partner called her."

He grunted and sat on the couch holding his head.

Prentiss gave him a sympathetic look and said softly "Go take a shower. I have to call her to say you're alright."

"Emily, you can't tell her."

"Take your shower, then we talk."

Will made his way to the bathroom without another word. He could use a shower and arguing with Emily Prentiss was useless most of the times – specially with a pounding head.

After he took his shower and cleared his mind he felt really embarrassed not just because his friend had found him passed out on his couch, but mostly because he suggested Emily to lie to her best friend.

He walked into the living room noticing that the bottles were no longer there.

"You didn't need to." He said before he sat on the couch.

"It's ok… I need to call JJ. I'm not going to lie to my friend."

"Sorry, it wasn't fair to ask you to do that and I know you wouldn't do this. I'm really sorry, I- I just don't want Jennifer to think I'm becoming an alcoholic or something…"

"She's not going to think this… do you wanna talk?"

He sighed and a few seconds passed before he answered. "I feel like I… failed. I feel like I failed Henry, I failed as a father."

"Will, you're a great father and Henry loves you. Your relationship with JJ will not interfere with that."

Will only nodded and kept his head down.

"I need to go." Prentiss said and started walking towards the door followed by Will.

"You're going to be ok, right?" She asked as they stopped for him to open the door.

"I think so. I'm going to work the rest of the day so at least I'll keep my mind busy."

"Will, please promise me you won't do this again. You scared me, I mean you scared everyone. Now you only live two floors below so when you feel like talking all you need to do is to take the elevator."

"I'm sorry I scared you."

"Just don't do it again"

"I promess I won't"

Prentiss turned around but Will grabbed her wrist.

"Thank you, Emily." He said looking into her eyes.

She took his hand and gave a reassuring squeeze.

"Anytime"


End file.
